Wake Forest NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Research Base

New Investigator Workshop – Call for Applications

Deadline: Friday, December 1, 2023, by 11:59 PM EST

Overview: This 3 day, in-person, Wake Forest NCI Community Oncology Research Program Research Base (WF NCORP RB) New Investigator Workshop will be held Monday, February 26, 2024, through Wednesday evening, February 28, 2024, at Graylyn Conference Center (https://graylyn.com/) in Winston-Salem, NC. Each applicant will submit a basic proposal (2-page max) for a Cancer Control or Cancer Care Delivery Research (CCDR) study suitable for community oncology sites to be fully developed during the workshop. Protocols that are largely written before the new investigator workshop are likely not appropriate. Modeled after the AACR/ASCO Methods in Cancer Clinical Research workshop and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (AHWFBCCC) boot camp for therapeutic oncology trials, the program will offer didactics related to clinical trial design, NCORP operations, feasibility and approval processes, recruitment of diverse populations, and statistical considerations. Lectures and discussions on how to develop protocols for inclusive and broad patient representation and participation will be led by WF NCORP RB Health Equity Core leadership. Workshop lectures are mixed with intensive mentoring and feedback sessions from experienced NCORP investigators; active group participation through questions and feedback to others is expected of all participants. Additional information about the WF NCORP RB is available at https://wakencorp.phs.wakehealth.edu.

Accepted applicants will work with a mentoring team comprised of boot camp faculty with expertise in clinical care, cancer care delivery and implementation science, biostatistics and study design, and research and patient advocate perspectives. Additional mentors will be incorporated as needed to meet trainee needs, i.e., radiation or surgical oncology, hematology, adolescent, and young adult (AYA) research, etc. WF NCORP RB research staff will provide additional perspectives on feasibility and multi-site implementation.

The desired outcome of the 3-day in-person workshop is a final study proposal ready for development into a grant submission (with NCI approval), a full NCORP concept to submit to the NCI Symptom Management and Quality of Life (SxQoL) or NCI Cancer Care Delivery Research Steering Committee for approval, or a pilot study to prepare for an eventual NCORP grant/concept. Participating mentors have extensive experience developing NCI concepts and NIH grants for NCORP studies and will work with each participant to decide if additional pilot data may be needed to support the concept. If so, mentors will assist in developing a plan and budget for pilot activities.

Following the workshop, participants will meet monthly with mentors and peers to develop the desired final product. Participants will attend and present their concepts at the WF NCORP RB Annual Meeting October 21 – 22, 2024 in Myrtle Beach, SC as the culminating experience. At the annual meeting, workshop participants will network with national NCORP leaders, receive feedback on their study concept from NCORP investigators, clinical research staff, and clinicians, and learn more about additional career development opportunities through this national research network.

Eligibility:

1. Doctorally trained in any oncology specialty, including medical, surgical, radiation, gynecologic, and pediatric oncology, or faculty from other departments conducting cancer clinical research. Senior fellows may also apply (letter of support from current faculty mentor for fellow applicants strongly encouraged).
   • Prioritization will be given to those new investigators (i.e., have not previously been a PI (Principal Investigator) or study chair for a WF NCORP RB study) who self-identify as members of groups underrepresented in the biomedical research enterprise (e.g., certain racial/ethnic groups, persons with disabilities, students from disadvantaged backgrounds, women, and other groups as described in the NIH Notice of Interest in Diversity) from academic institutions and/or NCORP Community and M/U Community sites.
2. The proposal must focus on Cancer Control or Cancer Care Delivery Research; oncology treatment trials will not be responsive. Proposals of an interventional trial well-aligned with WF NCORP priorities that are feasible to open within the NCORP community oncology network (https://ncorp.cancer.gov/about/) are strongly encouraged. When appropriate, proposals are encouraged to include biological mechanisms, correlative science, and a focus on underserved patient populations. Priorities include:

• Cancer Control
  • Cardiovascular complications of cancer therapy
  • Neurocognitive complications of cancer therapy
  • Additional cancer and treatment-related symptoms (e.g., fatigue, pain) and related outcomes and supportive care interventions
• Cancer Care Delivery Research
  • Delivery of comprehensive survivorship care
  • Integrating informal or familial caregivers into cancer care
  • Integration of evidence-based care in cancer care settings

Funding: WF NCORP RB will pay for participant expenses and travel to the workshop in Winston-Salem, provide pilot funds to collect needed pilot feasibility data (where applicable), and to attend and present their concepts at the WF NCORP RB Annual Meeting in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Additional Information: Please contact WF NCORP RB at NCORP@wakehealth.edu for more information.

Deadline: Please complete application and upload CV using this link by 11:59pm EST on Friday, December 1, 2023.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Data should be entered directly to REDCap or other study-specific data collection platforms as required by the study. Submit Informed Consents, completed paper CRFs, and other data support documents by encrypted email to NCORP@wakehealth.edu or by secure fax to 336-713-6476.